Report: Gunman, victim in same car before shooting

LAS CRUCES — A 43-year-old Las Cruces man has been charged with attempted murder in connection to Thursday’s shooting at the intersection of El Paseo Road and Wyatt Drive that left one man hospitalized with a gunshot wound to his torso, court records show.

Michael Tanner, who police believe is homeless and recently completed probation out of Hobbs, was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center late Thursday night on one count of attempted murder, a second-degree felony. He is currently being held on a $100,000 secured bond.

Police were dispatched to the intersection around 1:30 p.m. to the report of a gunshot victim. On arrival, officers discovered a man on the road with one gunshot wound to his torso. Courts records identify the victim as Joseph Medina, 33.

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Las Cruces firemen and paramedics load a gunshot victim into an ambulance at the Burger King parking lot at El Paseo Road and Wyatt Drive Thursday April 13, 2017.(Photo: Josh Bachman/Sun-News)

In a statement to police, Medina described the shooting as a “sneak attack,” saying he had been shot in the back.

In a news release issued Friday, police said Medina's injuries, although serious, are not believed to be life-threatening. Medina remains hospitalized in stable condition, police said.

A witness told police that he had stopped at the intersection and was waiting to turn north on El Paseo when he saw a dark grey Dodge Neon slam its brakes in the middle of the intersection. A woman exited the Neon from the passenger seat and walked away, the witness said. Then a man identified as Tanner exited the vehicle, holding a black gun, according to the witness. Police identified it as a shotgun.

The witness told police that he saw Tanner loading the gun and yelling at Medina, who was sitting in the rear passenger seat of the Neon. Tanner, according to the witness’s statement, then fired a round in the direction of the rear passenger seat. The witness also told police that he then saw Tanner load the gun again and point it at Medina.

But instead of shooting, the witness said, Tanner pulled Medina out of the Neon and began to kick him and strike him with the gun.

The witness told police that he then saw Tanner get into the Neon and drive in circles around Medina. Other witnesses described seeing Medina crawling on the road and trying to avoid getting struck by the Neon.

A witness who was on Campo Street told police that he saw the Neon flee the scene and then crash into another vehicle at the intersection of Campo and East Arizona Avenue. Tanner was seen exiting the car armed with a gun and place it on the vehicle's trunk, according to witnesses.

Tanner was detained at the crash scene by police.

Police said they have not located or identified the woman who left the Neon when it came to a halt in the middle of the intersection. She was last seen walking north from the crime scene and is described as Hispanic and heavy-set. Anyone with information that can help identify her is asked to call police at 575-526-0795.